


Simply Friends

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-03-18
Updated: 2007-03-18
Packaged: 2019-01-19 05:25:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12404115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: How did a simple suggestion blow feelings way out of proportion? Now their relationship has taken an undeniable turn and there is no way to stop its course. Decisions that're made cant be taken back: Lily isn't sure she wants to, James on the other hand...





	Simply Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

** A/N:** Hey there, I'm Sash trying out the unknowale room but posting one of my fics up here.

**Simply Friends**

_Chapter 1: The Favour_

‘Come on lads, why can’t you do me this one favour?’ Lily Evans demanded of her friends as they sat in conference. She’d call them all in here because not only were they her good friends but they were her most trust guy friends as well and it was because of their sex that she needed them.

They were all seated a coffee pub near London and the blokes had been trying their best not to look uncomfortable at least until Lily dropped her dilemma on them--then all pretence faded.

Lily rolled her eyes at the expression on their faces and sighed deeply.

‘You know it’s not as though I’m asking you jump into Hades now?’ she said when they didn’t bother with a response. ‘I’ve done you all tonnes of favours and it’s about time you repay me, you all owe me a lot.’

‘Now Lily weren’t you the one to say that friendship isn’t what you want to get out of it but what you’d like to do for your friends?’ Sirius Black said dramatically.

‘Yeah,’ Lily answered a bit warily not too sure if this was going in her favour.

‘Well the thing is we don’t want to and calling in favours that you’ve done for us would be upsetting the balance our friendship now wouldn’t it?’ he said and Lily snarled at him.

For a bloke dense at committing to one girl and one relationship at a time Sirius could be remarkably smart when it came for him to get out of something he didn’t want to do.

Damn the ass anyway.

‘You can’t all be busy on the 16th can you?’ Lily asked pretty desperately.

‘I’m sorry Lily, I have an interview that day,’ Remus said regretfully.

‘I-I can’t, I’ve got to help my mum with the cleaning that day.’ Peter said and Lily didn’t really want to be thankful for it, she was after all hoping he couldn’t help her out. It was evil of her to think such things, he might be a bit weird but he was her friend…sort of.

‘Well sorry missy, I have a date.’ Sirius said grinning.

‘A date?’ Lily asked sceptically. ‘With who?’ She knew there was no way for him to lie to her directly. Sirius and the others might do a lot of things in that one small group but they would never lie to her. It was what made them such good friends. Of course lying to people outside their particular circle didn’t matter.

‘You don’t know her; I met her the other day while I was checking the new brooms that were out. I was thinking of getting one for my niece.’

‘Right, I see but come on, I need a date for that party.’ Lily said again desperately.

‘It’s not our fault that you broke up with the new bloke in your life two weeks before your big event.’ Sirius said like the insensitive prat he was. Then he grinned ‘Anyway one of us still hasn’t given you an answer to your _desperate_ plea.’

He was right. Where was James, wasn’t he right next to her only a moment ago? He’d been unusually quiet but she hadn’t given it another thought. Scanning the living room she spotted him trying to slip out the door. He muttered a curse as soon as Sirius opened his mouth, his hazel eyes flashing at his best mate.

‘Thanks a lot mate,’ he said growling a little before grudgingly turning to walk back to his seat.

Sirius grinned at him, ‘No charge,’ and James’ scowl deepened.

James Potter was an enigma to her. She’d known him for eight years and she still hardly knew much about him. He’d spent nearly a year chasing her then suddenly, he gave up - no warning and certainly no explanation - and then with the rest of them became friends. His personal life sure she got...sort of, his personality she couldn’t figure out.

Ah well, they were friends right so technically you forgive and forget.

And since they were good friends she knew that he like the rest wouldn’t lie to her, which was why he was trying to slip out the door unnoticed.

‘James?’ she asked with a bit of hope.

‘Aw come on Li, I don’t want to.’ He said grimacing.

‘Why not? You don’t have any plans do you?’ Lily said innocently. _He didn’t have any_ she thought happily; otherwise he wouldn’t have been sneaking out.

He scowled at her, ‘you know I don’t’ and then glared before adding, ‘but I won’t do this.’ He stated sternly.

‘Why not?’ she asked again.

‘I take no pleasure in mingling with the crème de la crème of our society’s _posh ness_.’ He said and she gaped at him.

‘But you’re part of that society.’ Lily argued, she didn’t see his point and the fact was he was confusing her.

He seemed to slip into relief a little, ‘exactly,’ before adamantly saying ‘so I know what the night will entail and believe me it would not be fun. They don’t serve food there, I don’t know what they all it but tiny, miniscule sandwiches and little rolled up things are not what I call a proper meal. I have spent too much years being dragged to them by my parents I am not going to one of my own free will.’

‘But I can’t go without an escort,’ Lily said pleadingly. ‘I’m at the bottom of the chain, way, way down there and I need to make a good impression on the boss, so I can’t show up without anyone, think how it would look.’

‘Evans you were the brightest in our year, surely you have more faith in yourself?’ James said trying again.

‘Flattery Potter wouldn’t get you anywhere,’ she said and looked up at him with her best puppy dogface. ‘Come with me and I won’t ask you for anything ever again.’

‘Yeah right,' he muttered then ‘I shouldn’t,’ he said and she almost shouted happily. Before he said he couldn't now it was shouldn’t. He was breaking she could feel it.

The others were quiet, listening to them and not saying a word for fear that they might have to retake their denial and replace it with acceptance.

‘Think how much it would mean when a member of the most influential families in London is escorting me to the annual Healing Gala.’ She needled.

James looked at her, silent for a moment and then bent his head and let out a huge pent up sigh.

‘Fine I’ll go with you,’ he said. ‘But you owe me a huge and I mean HUGE favour.’

‘Yes, of course. Thank you, thank you, thank you.’ She said and hugged him. ‘You’re the best mate ever.’

‘Yeah yeah.’ He said then sighed again. ‘You will see all this nonsense is not all its cracked up to be.

‘I don’t see how James, it all about the opportunity, I’ll be getting to experience the lifestyle of the rich and the famous.’ She laughed before continuing. ‘Okay I’m not really interested in rich and famous part but I do want to see if not meet all those important people.’

‘Lil, its all about the old money and old blood they’re celebrating,’ Sirius said disgustedly.

James looked from his best mate to the red head in front of him. ‘Okay it’s not exactly cut and dried like that but all the wizards from the oldest bloodlines will be there. The Gala is more of a political event than anything else. I’m a member of the counsel because I’m the son of members and even though my parents have been dead for two years I still receive invitations.’ Then he snorted.

‘What?’ Lily asked and he was sure she didn’t really know how political the wizarding world was becoming.

He’d seen it for most of his life. His parents, although they attended made sure he knew that their world was changing since the Dark Lord was coming into power and if they had to attend benefits to “help” the sick and orphaned then so be it. It wasn’t as though the proceeds didn’t go to the needy that have suffered through dark magic but there was more political strings attached to it because it was the only way some of the leaders of their world will be satisfied.

‘They think that since I’m the last of my line that it is important for me to be as involved in the society as my parents were.’ James said. His parents weren’t young when he was born but they had spent a good part of their lives helping the victims of tragedy. He smiled thinking of where he spent his 7th birthday.

It was in a small village called Malta, which was situated Bolivia. He still visited them after his parents died, not as often as he could but he made time when they needed him to do anything.

‘And that’s a bad thing?’ Lily asked clearly puzzled.

James didn’t think she’d understand and no one knew what he did, not even his friends. He didn’t need people telling him all sorts of crap about how they are impressed with him helping the _unfortunate_ ; please; he didn’t need any fan fare.

‘I dabble in my own type of philanthropy,’ he said vaguely before getting up. ‘I have to get back; I’ll see you blokes later.’

‘What about the Gala next Saturday,’ Lily asked and he sighed again. She never gave up.

‘I already gave you my word that I’ll go,’ he said already turning for the door. ‘And be ready by seven, I’ll pick you up.’ He said and walked out onto the street.

Sighing again, James couldn't believe he got roped into this.

But maybe, just maybe he'd meet some sweet girl who'll whisk him away from all the pretence. 


End file.
